Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Bowl
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-25
2004-09-28
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Bowl
C004S303000, C004S305000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06795982
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a flush toilet provided with a toilet body, a first means for supplying wash water, a second means for discharging wash water, a third means for operating as a valve disposed between the first means and the second means, a fourth means for switching the third means, a fifth means for driving the fourth means, and a timer for regulating the duration of the operation of the fifth means.
BACKGROUND ART
Flush toilets provided with a toilet body, a first means for supplying wash water, a second means for discharging wash water, a third means for operating as a valve disposed between the first means and the second means, a fourth means for switching the third means, a fifth means for driving the fourth means, and a timer for regulating the duration of the operation of the fifth means are widely used.
In the aforementioned flush toilets, the fifth means drives the fourth means, the fourth means opens the third means to lead wash water to the second means, the second means discharges the wash water to the toilet body to flush it, the fourth means closes the third means to stop supplying the second means with the wash water, and the flushing of the toilet body is finished.
The timer regulates the duration of the operation of the fifth means to regulate the duration of the operation of the fourth means. Thus, the duration of opening the third means is regulated and quantity of the wash water used for flushing the toilet body is regulated.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The conventional flush toilet is provided with an electric timer. Therefore, the duration of the operation of the fifth means becomes impossible regulate and the flushing of the toilet body becomes impossible to carry out at an electric service interruption.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a flush toilet provided with a toilet body, a first means for supplying wash water, a second means for discharging wash water, a third means for operating as a valve disposed between the first means and the second means, a fourth means for switching the third means, a fifth means for driving the fourth means, and a timer for regulating the duration of the operation of the fifth means, wherein the toilet body can be flushed even at an electric service interruption.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flush toilet comprising a toilet body, a first means for supplying wash water, a second means for discharging wash water, a third means for operating as a valve disposed between the first means and the second means, a fourth means for switching the third means, a fifth means for driving the fourth means, a mechanical timer and a sixth means for being manipulated to supply the fifth means with strain energy, wherein the fifth means releases the strain energy accumulated in it to drive the fourth means, and the mechanical timer consumes a part of the strain energy released from the fifth means to regulate duration of the operation of the fifth means, and further comprising a seventh means for adjusting the rate of the strain energy consumption by the mechanical timer to adjust the duration of the operation of the fifth means, wherein the seventh means alternatively selects one among a plurality of rates of strain energy consumption different from each other.
In a flush toilet in accordance with the present invention, the toilet body can be flushed even at an electric service interruption because the mechanical timer regulates the duration of the operation of the fifth means.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rate of the strain energy consumption by the mechanical timer increases and decreases as the driving velocity of the fifth means increases and decreases.
Resistance against the operation of the fifth means increases and decreases as the strain energy consumption increases and decreases. Therefore, the driving velocity of the fifth means is kept constant and the timing of switching the third means is kept constant even if the driving force of the fifth means fluctuates a little.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical timer comprises a generator driven by the fifth means and a current consumer connected to the generator.
The duration of the operation of the fifth means can be adjusted by adjusting the rate of the consumption of the strain energy released from the fifth means. The strain energy released from the fifth means can be consumed as electric power. The current consumer can be adjusted easily Therefore, electric power consumption can be adjusted easily, duration of the operation of the fifth means can be adjusted easily, and the quantity of the wash water used for flushing the toilet body can be adjusted easily.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flush toilet further comprises an eighth means for being manipulated to manipulate the seventh means.
The duration of the operation of the fifth means can be adjusted easily by manipulating the seventh means with the eighth means.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the seventh means is manipulated with the sixth means.
When the seventh means is manipulated with the sixth means, it becomes unnecessary to manipulate another means for adjusting the duration of the operation of the fifth means and the manipulation for adjusting the duration of the operation of the fifth means becomes easy.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the third means comprises a pilot-operated valve.
When a pilot-operated valve is used, the force necessary for switching the third means decreases, the fifth means is downsized, and the force necessary for manipulating the sixth means decreases.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flush toilet further comprises a pipe connecting a pilot valve portion of the pilot-operated valve with a switching valve portion of the pilot-operated valve.
When a pipe connects a pilot valve portion of the pilot-operated valve with a switching valve portion of the pilot-operated valve, it becomes possible to dispose the pilot valve portion distanced from the switching valve portion, and degrees of freedom in arranging the third means increases.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flush toilet comprises a plurality of the second means, and the third means comprises a switching valve disposed on a wash water passage extending from the first means and a selector valve for alternatively supplying one of the second means with wash water.
When a plurality of the second means discharge the wash water successively, the flushing of the toilet body becomes efficient and the quantity of the wash water used for flushing the toilet body decreases.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the selector valve is disposed downstream of the switching valve and connected to the switching valve in series.
The selector valve disposed downstream of the switching valve is not exposed to a high pressure because a pressure loss is generated when the wash water passes through the switching valve. Therefore, the selector valve need not be strengthened for high pressure and can be downsized.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flush toilet further comprises a ninth means for being manipulated to open the switching valve.
A large force is necessary for opening the switching valve. When a user of the flush toilet manipulates the ninth means to open the switching valve, the driving force supplied by the fifth means switches the selector valve which is not exposed to a high pressure and does not need a large force to open and close it, and the driving force supplied by the fifth means closes the switching valve which does not need a large force to close it, the fifth means can be downsized and the force necessary for manipulating the sixth means can be reduced.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present i
Kazuyuki Watanabe
Noboru Shimbara
Ryoichi Tsukada
Tomohiro Hirakawa
Yoshinobu Uchimura
Griffin & Szipl, P.C.
Nguyen Tuan N.
Toto Ltd.
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